Blank ammunition is applied in considerable amounts globally. Blank ammunition is a disposable consumer product which remains in nature after application. As it is made of plastic and metal, the decomposition process will be long-lasting and therefore damage the environment. In addition, considerable amounts of environmentally damaging waste will be created by the use of powder charge.
Blank ammunition has limitations in terms of where it can be applied, as fouling will create marks and pollute the environment. An example is during indoors training in buildings, onboard planes or other civil installations in which exercise is required.
There is a security risk related to the application of blank ammunition as particles from the firing device, and/or heat, can cause damage on people or objects that are in proximity of the firing device. Application of blank ammunition can also cause hearing impairment as the noise level is very high.
Blank ammunition causes the firing device to wear and tear. Sediments in the barrel cause additional need for cleaning of the firing device. Furthermore, blank ammunition has a tendency of getting jammed in the breech, which can spoil drills and other training. There is also a high procurement cost on blank ammunition.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,631 describes a small arms firing effects simulator using a pyrotechnical solution. U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,195 concerns a device for simulating the report effect of a blank cartridge when firing small arms by using a pressurized gas container. The device may be implemented as a magazine which can be fitted to a weapon instead of its ordinary magazine. Both these prior art systems do however not provide a full simulation of the weapon as the weapon may not be used in the normal way during simulation.